Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe is an opportunity for all types of UK organisations (including businesses and academia) to get funding for research and innovation. For UK businesses this is an opportunity to collaborate with partners with the right expertise to expand markets and accelerate innovation across Europe and internationally.

Horizon Europe – EU research and innovation programme

Horizon Europe runs until 2027 and is a €95.5 billion European funded programme for Research and Innovation (R&I) for all types of organisation, including businesses, SMEs and academia. This website will give you information on the programme itself, relevant newsevents and funding, and help you to connect to the right people from the Innovate UK group for support.

Current status of the UK 

We are a candidate associated country to Horizon Europe. This means you can continue to apply for Horizon Europe calls as if the UK is already associated to the programme, if you approach your grant agreement deadline date and the UK has not yet associated, please see the support available from the UK government. 
    • The UK and EU agreed the terms of the UK’s association to EU Programmes through the Trade Cooperation Agreement (TCA) in December 2020. Delays to the adoption of EU programme regulations by the European Parliament prevented the immediate adoption of Protocol 1, finalising this agreement.  
    • However, both the UK and EU set out their clear expectation that the agreement on UK participation means that access to programme actions for UK applicants would be unhindered whilst final adoption of the Protocol was pending.  
    • As the adoption of the Protocol remains pending, UK applicants can continue to apply for Horizon Europe calls as if the UK is already associated to the programme. In fact, the EU’s own published guidance makes clear that UK applicants should be able to continue to participate in programme actions as if association had already taken place.  
    • We therefore encourage the UK sector to continue applying to Horizon Europe calls and to continue forming consortia.
    • UK partners remain eligible to apply as funding beneficiaries for Horizon grants.  
    • The European Commission (EC) has indicated that it will take a flexible approach and give consortia time to put in place contingencies in cases where there are any issues at a later stage as a result of delays to association.   
    • The UK is pushing for association as soon as possible and once associated you’ll be able to sign a grant agreement with the EU. 
    • If you approach the final grant signature date and then the UK hasn’t associated then you should look for ways to continue as an Associated Partner and, if relevant, explore whether you can continue as a de factor coordinator but with another coordinator name listed.  
    • If the EU completes the UK’s association, successful UK applicants who have not yet signed a grant agreement with UKRI under the guarantee will be able to sign grant agreements with the EC.
  • Financial Guarantee: 

    • To support UK researchers and innovators and to provide funding certainty, we launched the Horizon Europe guarantee in November 2021. This is in place to ensure that eligible UK applicants who have been successfully evaluated by the EC have access to funding regardless of whether the UK associates to Horizon Europe, if the EC final grant signature date is on or before 30 June 2023.  
    • Please see the guidance for UK entities on how to apply for the guarantee scheme at the UKRI Website.

    Transitional measures:  

    • Given the ongoing delay to our association, it is only right and responsible that we are prepared for all outcomes, to ensure we deliver what is in the best interest of the UK sector. The length of these delays – now lasting over eighteen months – has had significant impacts for UK researchers, organisations and industry on the ground.   
    • The UK government has therefore published details of a proposed package of transitional measures that would come into force if association is no longer possible, which would be stood up in time to ensure that the UK’s still derives good value from Horizon Europe. 
    • Our plan for transitional measures is well developed and preparations to implement them have already begun with UKRI and the National Academies. They will be stood up quickly if we are unable to associate and will remain in place only as long as it takes to establish the long-term programme. In the event we are unable to associate, these long-term programmes would focus on building on UK strengths and making the UK a destination of choice. 
    • The transitional measures include the Horizon Europe Guarantee, funding for successful, in-flight applications, uplifts to existing talent programmes and innovation support, the talent and stabilisation fund, and third country participation.  
    • For more information on how the UK transitional measures are supporting UK R&D and collaborative research beyond European programmes please visit the gov.uk page here.

Horizon Europe Pillars

Excellent Science

Pillar 1

Excellent Science

Driving scientific excellence and supporting the EU’s position as a world leader in science.

Read more
Global Challenges

Pillar 2

Global Challenges

Supporting research relating to societal and global challenges through six clusters.

Read more
Innovative Europe

Pillar 3

Innovative Europe

Informing potential applicants about the funding streams and connecting innovators across Europe.

Read more
Widening participation

Pillar 4

Widening participation

Contributing to building research and innovation capacity for countries lagging behind.

Read more

Introduction to EU Missions

EU Missions are a new way to bring concrete solutions to some of our greatest challenges. EU Missions are a coordinated effort by the Commission to pool the necessary resources in terms of funding programmes, policies and regulations, as well as other activities.

Read more

Introduction to EU Partnerships

EU Partnerships are initiatives where the EU, national authorities and/or the private sector jointly commit to support the development and implementation of a programme of research and innovation activities.

Read more

Horizon Europe Clusters Webinar Series - December 2022

Introduction to 2023/24 Work Programmes

Recordings and slides now available!

Government announcement to support Horizon Europe applicants

Horizon Europe Guarantee - Funding Extension announced 19 Dec to support calls that close on or before 31st March 2023.

Related Opportunities

Horizon Europe Guarantee - EIT KICs 2022

Opens: 23/05/2022 Closes: 31/03/2023

This funding route is to deliver the UK Government’s Horizon Europe guarantee for UK partners involved in EIT-KIC activities in the 2022 calendar year.

More Information

Horizon Europe Guarantee 2022 (first and second waves)

Opens: 16/05/2022 Closes: 31/03/2023

The UK government has announced a new scheme that guarantees funding for successful applicants to the first and second wave of Horizon Europe grant awards regardless of the outcome of the UK’s efforts to associate to Horizon Europe.

More Information

Horizon Europe Guarantee Extension (third wave)

Opens: 22/11/2022 Closes: 31/12/2023

The UK government has announced a new scheme that guarantees funding for successful applicants to the third wave of Horizon Europe grant awards regardless of the outcome of the UK’s efforts to associate to Horizon Europe.

More Information

Related Events and Recordings

Thu
26
Jan
2023

Horizon Europe: Climate calls, Mission Adaptation to Climate and Mission Cities

10.00 - 12.00 GMT | Online

Watch now
Mon
30
Jan
2023

EUREKA - Xecs Call 2: Electronics Components & Systems (ECS)

11.30 - 12.30 | Online

Watch now
Tue
31
Jan
2023

Horizon Europe Clean Hydrogen Consortia Building Event

09.30 - 13.00 | Online

Watch now
See all events

Related News

What's next for R&D if the UK is unable to associate to Horizon Europe?

21/07/2022

What's next for R&D if the UK is unable to associate to Horizon Europe?

The UK government has confirmed successful Horizon Europe applicants will receive funding from UKRI regardless of the outcome of the UK’s efforts to associate with Horizon Europe.

Read more
Be part of a global network for R&D and innovation collaboration

13/11/2018

Be part of a global network for R&D and innovation collaboration

EEN in partnership with Innovate UK is organising a EUREKA Eurostars Funding National Info Day, on 13th December at IET Birmingham.

Read more
More News

Next Steps

Sign up for the UKRI Horizon Europe Newsletter to find out about EU News, Events and Funding Opportunities and sign up to the Global Alliance Newsletter to learn more about Innovate UK KTN’s European and International Projects and Programmes and for News, Events and Funding in Horizon Europe and much more.

Close

Connect with Innovate UK KTN

Join Innovate UK KTN's mailing list to receive updates on funding opportunities, events and to access IUK KTN’s deep expertise. Please check your email to confirm your subscription and select your area(s) of interest.